1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns a novel method and apparatus for placing a medical agent into a vessel of the body, and in particular concerns a novel method for placing embolic coils within an aneurysm of the brain.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of embolic coils placed within an aneurysm for treating the aneurysm within the brain is well known. Various devices are known for delivering embolic coils through the patient's vessel to the aneurysm. Typically these embolic coils, which generally take the form of helically wound coils, or random wound coils, are carried by a coil deployment device which serves to introduce the coils into the aneurysm. The coils are then released by the coil deployment device using one of various types of release mechanisms.
An example of such a coil deployment device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,113,622 entitled, “Embolic Coil Hydraulic Deployment System”, issued Sep. 5, 2000 and assigned to the same assignee as the present patent application. The disclosure of this patent is incorporated herein and made a part of this application. It has been found to be difficult to place these coils in the exact desired position because of the relative lack of stability of the deployment device within the vessel during the introduction of the embolic coil to an aneurysm. An example of a delivery system used to stabilize a coil deployment device is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/878,530, entitled “Delivery System Using Balloon Catheter”, filed Jun. 11, 2001 and assigned to the same assignee as the present patent application. The disclosure in this patent application is incorporated by reference and is made a part of the subject patent application.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a method for placing embolic coils in a relatively precise manner by the use of a stabilizing delivery catheter.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for placing embolic coils within an aneurysm of the brain, which system is relatively simple in use for the physician.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method for delivering medical agents such as diagnostic or therapeutic agents, and other medical agents by the use of a delivery catheter in a relatively simple, efficient and stable manner.
A still further object is to provide a delivery catheter which enables the delivery of embolic coils within an aneurysm in a relatively simple, efficient and stable manner.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a delivery catheter which may be utilized to deliver embolics, diagnostic, and therapeutic agents by way of a delivery lumen.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a delivery catheter that is relatively simple in construction.
Other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description.